Men
• Participate in communities and organizations
• Less likely to commit crimes leading to imprisonment (Santorum, 2003).
• A socially approved mechanism for the expression of masculinity by fathering children, providing for a family, and protecting family.(VanDenBerghe)
• Have a motivating force a family behind them, and a network of support from family
Women
• Report being healthier, and suffer less from extended illness and disabilities
• Less domestic violence reported within married couples than that of same sex couples (Santorum)
• “Marriage’s benefits do not extend to its copycats” (VanDenBerghe)
Children
The Progressive Policy Institute reported, “It is no exaggeration to say that a stable, two-parent (man and woman) family is an American child’s best protection against poverty” (VanDenBerghe, page 19, 2000). Research has shown that “current levels of poverty result more form family structure than from economic factors. The presence of one parent usually means poverty for a family. The presence of two married parents usually means that children will never be poor during childhood” (VanDenBerghe, page 19, 2000). Children living in an intact family with a mother and father that are married have:
• Higher Grades in School
• Higher College aspirations
• Better Attendance
• Half as Likely to Drop Out of School
• Less abuse and neglect
• Fewer emotional and behavior problems
• Less likely to have trouble with the law and crime
• Fewer incidences of abusing drugs and alcohol (Santorum, 2003)
• Need parents to model "intergender relations" and social skills (Wardle, page 349, 2000)
